PIA, on Its deathbed

Pakistan's first flag carrier airline "Pakistan International Airlines" is taking its last breaths on its death bed these days. Its rise was such that under the leadership of Air Marshal Noor Khan, PIA bought a Boeing 707 jet plane in 1960 and was declared the first airline in Asia to use this jet plane. Pakistan International Airlines was the first Asian airline to start direct flights to America after London and Europe. In 1964, PIA was the first non-communist airline to establish the first air link to China. During the heyday of PIA, Air Marshal Asghar Khan was also its head who turned it around in just three years. Air Marshal Asghar Khan got the new uniform of air hostesses made by a French designer who was talked about all over the world. Then PIA was self-sufficient in all its departments. Apart from engineering, technical ground support, passenger handling, marketing, sales, flight operations and other departments, it had its own kitchen to provide food in flights. It was a sign of its rise that the pilots of the world's major airlines used to receive training at the PIA training center in Karachi. Pilots of Emirates Airline, Singapore Airline, Jordanian Airline, and Malta Air were trained by PIA. In 1965 war, PIA also played an important role in homeland defense. and transferred important defense equipment from China to Pakistan. PIA played an important role in establishing Emirates Airline in 1985. On 25 October 1985, the first flight of Emirates Airline was from Dubai to Karachi and Its two pilots, Fazal Ghani, first officer Ijazul Haque and the air hostess were Pakistanis. Guests were served Pakistani food during the flight. It was even codenamed ek. The e stood for Emirates while the k stood for Karachi. During its heyday, PIA used to lease its planes to foreign airlines.

This period of boom continued till 1990, however, the decline of PIA also started from this decade. Political appointments, appointment of favored chairmen, leasing of the most expensive aircraft, and selling of profitable routes to private airlines have crippled the global airline. Bosses were made Chairman of PIA. Politically recruited incompetents and incompetents promoted factionalism and unionization in PIA.

Apart from organizations like Air League, People's Unity, and PALPA, more than 15 organizations of people affiliated with various political parties played a major role in the downfall of PIA. Unprofessional and corrupt officials closed the profitable stations like Europe, America and Kuwait. After the 90s, the situation became such that Karachi, where the air traffic was dominated by PIA, got out of its hands. The first major attack on PIA was made on July 14, 1998, when the then government allowed Emirates Airlines to fly to Karachi and Peshawar, while a few months later Islamabad and Lahore were also handed over to them. In 2013, when the same people were in power again. If possible, he allowed Emirates to fly to Sialkot and in 2015 Multan was also opened for them. 

These rulers prefer foreign airlines instead of their own airlines. The last big blow to PIA was given by the Aviation Minister of the previous government, Sarwar Khan, by saying that our pilots were recruited on fake degrees. After this statement, the entry of PIA was banned in the whole of Europe. The entire nation is suffering. Instead of protecting the interests of PIA, these rulers protected the interests of foreign airlines. It should have been that the profitable routes of PIA remained with PIA.

Rules and Regulations of Open Skies Policy are determined as they are done all over the world. He used to patronize his own organization. But for the sake of personal and business interests, foreign and private airlines were patronized by drowning the fleet of PIA, the result of which the entire nation is suffering today. 40, 40 domestic and foreign flights are being canceled a day. PIA is the fifth largest airline in global ranking of lost baggage. It is the worst airline in terms of on-time departure of flights. Today, a profitable institution of Pakistan has become a victim of decline. In the name of privatization, vultures are circling around to scratch the body of PIA. When will the official announcement of his death be made and they will come to scratch his flesh. But break up. The blood of PIA is on the feet of every ruler who prioritized foreign flights over PIA. Every political party is guilty of PIA who destroyed its management through unionization. Every ruler is responsible for the destruction imposed on him by incompetent and unworthy people for the sake of personal interests. What is the focus on PIA? Now it is known everywhere that an owl is sitting on every branch. What will happen in the end?